One of the unique requests Conroy often fills is special cakes for "gender reveal" parties for parents-to-be. Besides the ultrasound technician or doctor, Conroy sometimes is privy to the sex of a baby before the mother knows if she is carrying a boy or girl.

"The doctor writes down the gender on a piece of a paper and puts it in a sealed envelope, then the parents bring the sealed envelope to me," she said. "They don't know what the gender of the baby is until they cut the cake and it's either pink or blue inside."

Conroy said she is not classically trained, but she loves to bake. Coconut cream cake is her favorite to bake and to eat.

"It's three layers, with a coconut cake, a coconut cream filling and frosted with merangue," she said. "I call it the coconut cream dream."

She also makes the recipe as cupcakes. Conroy bakes countless sheet cakes for birthdays, retirements, anniversaries, and more, and many of them feature logos of clubs, organizations or businesses. She soon will be busy making graduation cakes and wedding cakes.

Conroy recently filled an order for 400 Easter cookies for the Royal Gorge Route Railroad and several other requests for spring-themed cookies and cupcakes.

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She has about 150 cookie cutters; however, she can make about anything using a regular old round cutter.

Conroy shared a tip on how to make a sugar cookie hold its shape.

"The thing is don't roll them too thin and refrigerate them before you put them in the oven after you cut them out," she said. "After you cut them out put them on a sheet, put them back in the refrigerator and let them get cold before they go in the oven."

Conroy began baking when she was a little girl in 4-H.

"I always loved to cook," she said. "And back when my sisters were having babies, I was always making their baby shower cakes."

When she was laid off from her job at Four-Mile Ranch, Conroy filled her time baking cookies. She then worked at Shadow Hills Golf Club until October when she quit her job to help care for her sister, Diana Hallett, who is battling cancer. While she easily can spend 50 to 60 hours a week baking in her home kitchen, she loves the opportunity and the flexibility to be able to spend time with her sister.

"The nice thing about it is that Diana can come over and hang out with me," she said. "We're still spending time together even though I'm working.

"Sometimes she puts on a hairnet, washes her hands and helps me. It's kind of fun."

Conroy is ServSafe certified. She may be reached at 371-7094 or confectionconnection@bresnan.net. Photos of past creations may be seen on Conroy's Facebook page, Gail's Confection Connection LLC.